Signaling- mechanism



Apr. 24; 1923. 1,453,195

' J. c. SIMS V SIGNALING MECHANISM 61 Filed Nov. 6, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet1 O E jj 1. I, .38 I $1 59 L j I 1 1 l 40 w ,-4/ E WITNESSES MENTOR ByWW I ATTORNEYS J. C. SIMS SIGNALING MECHANISM I: I? I I? r '2 V I, I, III I I I II I l l l I i 5 4 I V I I I all I i [I M- n I! 7 IIVVENTORcZZF-SMS WITNESSES A TTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES JESSE CORNELIOUS SIMS, OF MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNALING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 6, 1919. Serial No. 336,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jesse C. SIMs, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Maynard, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Signaling Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description. Thisinvention relates to improvements in signaling mechanism, and moreparticularly to an electrically operated visual and sounding signal, anobject of the invention being to provide improved signals which may beseen and heard both in the light and in the dark and which will beautomatically operated.

A further object is to provide an im proved construction of signalcasing with improved rotary signals therein and improved mechanism foroperating the sigmechanism which is adapted for use as a railroadsignal, as a fir'e or burglar alarm,

or for any other use to which such a mechanism might-be employed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements ofparts, as will be more-fully the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation and partlydiagrammatic illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in sectionillustrating the signal casing and the mechanism therein contained, thesectionbeing taken on the *line 22:of Figure 3; v

Figure -3 is a view-in horizontal section a through the casing;

Figure 4 is a view in section illustrating a form of contact which maybeutilized in connection with a burglar alarm; and

Figure 5 is a view-showing aform of contact which may be used on firealarms.

' 1 represents a a circular signal casing which may be convenientlysupported upon a post 2. The casing '1 is provided in its opposite sideswith segmental transparent portions 3 and 4, theltransparent portions 3being ina'. smaller arc than the trans-parent ortions 4, and thetransparent portions 3 being of a color preferably red, while thetransparent portions 4 are of plain glass or other similar material.

A platform 5 is provided in the casing 1 and a shaft 6 located centrallyin the casing is supported in suitable bearing brackets 7. This shaft 6at one end is secured to the center of a bar or spider 8, the lattercarrying at its ends signaling segments 9 which are located between thetransparent portions 4 and are readily observed therethrough. Thesesegments 9 may be of metal or any other suitable material and arecolored in various'ways as may be desired. 1 have illustrated thesegments of two colors so that as they are moved around the casing andobserved through the transparent portric lights move in an arc of acircle and serve to illuminate the. colored transparent portions 3 ofthe casing. The segments 9 are designed to attract attention in thedaytime, and the lamps or lights 11 illuminating the transparentportions 3 will attract attention at night so that by turning the shaft6 either in the day or in the night, the signal will be plainly seen.

An electric motor 12 is supported in the casing 1 and a drive shaft 13of the motor is provided at its respective ends with worms 14 and 15respectively. The worm 14 transmits motion to a worm wheel 16 on shaft 6and the worm 15 transmits motion to a shaft 18 which carries a rotarydisk 19, the latter being provided in its face with blocks of insulation20 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The platform 5 also supports a horn or other electrically operatedsounding device 21 and electro-magnets 22 are supported on the platform5 and are adapted to attract an armature 26 which is connected to andinsu lated from a series of spring contacts 27, 28,

29 and 30, thelatter being suitably insulated from the platform 5. Thespring contacts 27, 28 and 29 are normally spaced from stationarycontacts 31, 32 and 33 respectively, while the spring contact 30 isnormally located in engagement with a fixed contact 34.

A pair of brushes35 and 35 insulated from the platform 5 engages contactdiscs 36 and 36 respectively, insulated from each other on the shaft 6,and these brushes and of the arms 10.

appear.

Electric lamps 38 are supported at the center and on the outside of bothlaces of the casing l. and are maintained illuminated normally.

When my improved signaling mechanism is used'in connection with arailroad, I pref- "erably utilize a rail 39 w-hiclris pressed downwardlyby the weight of the train to engage contacts to close the circuit, andThane illustrated a source of electricity ll which may constitute a partof the electric power system "of the railroad ,or'may be a separatesource as maybe desired. In Figure 1, I illustrate a simpleform'otelectric diagram which permits the carrying out of my invention, but, ofcourse, I do not wish to be limited to any'particular diagram.

'Alsn i'tch may be provided to open and close the circuits manually asmay be desired. A. wire 43 connects one side of the battery 41 with thelamp 38 and from the lamp-a wire 44 extends to the contact 34.Thecontac'tt 34 is connected electrically with a wire 45 extending tothe other side of the battery 41 so that while the contacts 34 and 30remain together, the circuitto the lamps 38 is closed. The wire 45 alsoconnects to one terminal oi the magnets 22, the other terminal of themagnets being connected by a wire 46 with the rail 39. A wire 47connects the contacts 40 with one side of the battery 41. Hence, whenthe rail .39 enthe contacts 420, the circuit through the magnets will beclosed as follows: from the battery tl, through the wire 45. magnets 22,wire 46. rail 39, contacts 40, wire 47, to the battery. hen the magnets22 areenergizechthe armature 26 and the spring con tact arms 27, QS'and29 are moved into electric contact with the contacts 31, 32 and 33respectively.

The contacts 27. 28, and 29 are connected to the wire 45 wires 48, 49,and 50, re spe'ctiyely. Contact 33 is connected by a wire 51'to ala'Inp'61 which will be more particularly described hereinafter, thelamp 61' is connected by a wire to the brush 35, and the disc isconnected to one of the? lainps 11 by wire The two lamps 11 areconnected by a wire 52. and the second lamp 11, is connected "to thedisc 36 by a wire 52*. The brush 35 contacting with the disc 36 is inelectrical connection with the wire 5L3 by a wire 53. From the foregoingconnections it 'will be seen that when the contacts 29 and 33 engageeach other, the lamps will be illuminated through the following"circuit: from battery 41, through wire 1,5, wire 50, contacts 29 and 33,wire 51, lamp 61, wire 53, brush 35, disc 36, wire 52, lamp .11, wire52"., other lamp 11, wire 52", disc 36, brush 35, wires 53 and 43, backto battery.

The contact 32, above referred to, is .connected by a wire 54 .with-oneoi the brushes 37, the other-brush37 being connected bya wire with thehorn21, and a zwirehfi c011- nects the other side of the horn with Wire13. When the contacts 28 and 32 are together, the circuit is from thebattery.

through wire 45, wire 49, contacts "28 and 32, wire 54, one brush 37,disk l9,the,uthfl v brush 37 wire 55, 1101-1121, wire 56.,W1K64 to thebattery.

The insulated portions 20 of the disk QID- ing into contact with thebrushes 3.7 .cperat to open the circuit and hence, the ceases to blowfor a time and then sounds again so that the operation 0i tilt/1 .111 13an intermittent Ionemand may be 0QR1 10l19d as desired according to thelength lofthe sulated portions on :the disk.

The contact 31 is connected by a wim 57 with .one side of motor 12a'nd awire 38 connects the other side of the motor w th the Wire 56.' When thecontacts 27121 1191311 are together, thezcircuit .is as fOllQWS t am batery 41, through wire 4:5, wire 18., contacts 27 and 31, wire .57, motor12, wire :58, and wire -13 to the battery. the motor is thus included incircuit, it operates to give ,the circular motion to the segmented .and

the lam 11 causing the signaling das lay both in the light and in thedark,'as agove explained.

It will therefore be noted from the abov description that normally theQQ 133Ql'1S and 30. are together so that the lamps .38 will remainilluminated to illuminate the ou side ot the casing 1. When a. trainpresses the rail 39, the magnets 22 oause bh. ED81 tion of the contacts34 andBO -.to1b1:eak the circuit and extihguishthe lamps 38. At the sametime the other contacts 27, 2 .5 M3512 are moved so as .to engage commieI31, 2

and 33, thus closingthe circuits t0. the lamp 11, horn 21 and motor 12.1 The lamps 11 and the segments 9 are moved in a Qifcular path by meansof the motor andthe horn is intermittently sounded so that attention isattracted to the signaling .deyice tofdudioate a warning.

As above stated, this signaling mechanism may be'utilized as a fire'a1arm,o1:: 1% "hun'glar alarm, or for any. other purpose by t simpleaddition of obrious mechanism for controlling the circuits.

On top of the casing 11 may locate a.

transparent danger sign 60 and position the lamp 61 therein, which maybe included in circuit with the lamps 11 as clearly shown in Figure 1and as hereinbefore described.

The burglar alarm contact shown in Figure 4 may constitute a guard barcomprising two tubes 62 and 63 insulated from each other so that when atool is forced through the outer tube against the inner tube, it willclose the electric circuit.

The fire alarm contact employs a fusible string 64 covered by a shield65 and holding a spring contact 66 open. The fire breaks the string andthe circuit is closed.

My improved signal may be employed with any of these circuit closingdevices and may be used on a closed or open circuit system as desired.

Various'slightchanges may be made in the general form and arrangement ofparts described without departing from the invention, and hence I do notlimit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A signaling mechanism comprising a circular casing having inner andouter concentric transparent portions, a rotary sup port in the casing,signaling devices carried by said rotary support in position to beobserved through said outer transparent portions, and light emittingmeans carried by the rotary support in position to be ob served throughthe inner transparent portions.

2. A signaling mechanism, comprising a circular casing having inner andouter circular concentric transparent portions, the inner transparentportions being colored, a central rotary shaft in the casing, supports 1on the shaft, signaling devices carried by the supports and observablethrough the outer series of transparent portions, and lamps on thesupports adapted to illuminate the colored transparent portions.

3. A signaling mechanism, comprising a circular casing having inner andouter circular concentric transparent portions, the inner transparentportions being colored, a central rotary shaft in the casing, supportson the shaft, signalingdevices carried by the supports and observablethrough the outer series of transparent portions, lamps on the supportsadapted to illuminate the colored transparent portions, and means formoving the signaling devices and the lamps in a circular. path.

4:. A signaling mechanism comprising a circular casing having segmentaltransparent portions supported in an end thereof in different arcsstruck about the axis of the easing, the inner of said transparentportions being colored, a rotary shaft disposed axially of the casing,signaling devices carried b said shaft in position to be observedthrough the outer transparent portions, and incandescent signaling meanscarried by said shaft in position to illuminate the colored transparentportions.

5. A signaling mechanism comprising a circular casing having segmentaltransparent portions supported in an end thereof in different arcsstruck about the axis of the casing, the inner of said transparentportions being colored, a rotary shaft disposed axially of the casing,signaling devices carried by said shaft in position to be observedthrough the outer transparent portions, incandescent signaling meanscarried by said shaft in position to illuminate the colored transparentportions, and electrical means for operating said shaft and saidincandescent signaling means.

JESSE CORNELIOUS SIMS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. HAcH, MATT W. HEKKALA.

